Dual-chamber package

ABSTRACT

A dual-chamber package comprising a substantially dimensionally stable outer container (1) with a dispensing valve (2) for accommodating liquid or pasty contents and an inner container disposed within the outer container (1) for receiving a pressurized gas such as pressurized air or the like, wherein the inner container (3) is a flexible bag and wherein the dispensing valve (2) comprises a dispensing tube (17) disposed within a valve body (14) for movement from a closed position to an open position and vice versa. To simplify the design, increase the operational safety and attain improved ecological compatibility, the inner bag (3) is connected to the dispensing valve (2) and adapted to be filled therethrough with pressurized gas when the outer container (1) has been filled and closed, so that with the dispensing valve (2) in the open state the contents can be ejected from the outer container (1) while the inner bag (3) expands correspondingly.

BACKGROUND OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

The invention is directed to a dual-chamber package comprising asubstantially dimensionally stable outer container (1) for receivingliquid or pasty contents and provided with a dispensing valve (2), andan inner container disposed within the outer container (1) for receivinga pressurized gas such as pressurized air, nitrogen or the like, whereinthe inner container (3) is designed as a flexible bag and wherein thedispensing valve (2) comprises a dispensing tube (17) disposed within avalve body (14) for movement from a closed position to an open position,and vice versa.

Such dual-chamber packages are generally known, for example fromEP-A-0181116, EP-A-0033377 or GB-B-1425854.

The known dual-chamber packages exhibit the common feature that theinner bag includes chemical agents for producing pressurized gas whichare activated when a predetermined period of time has elapsed. To thisend, for instance in accordance with the proposal of EP-A-0033377, theinner bag includes means for delaying the chemical reaction forproducing pressurized gas.

It appears obvious that the mentioned proposals require a considerabledesign effort. Furthermore, the operational safety is not all that couldbe desired. Finally, the expenses are additionally increased by the useof chemical agents for producing an adequate quantity of pressurized gaswithin the inner bag. Due to this fact the ecological compatibility ofthese known designs is extremely doubtful. Therefore the dual-chamberpackages of the specified kind have not been widely accepted forpractical use.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is based on the object of providing a dual-chamberpackage of the kind specified in the introductory part which has asimple design, operates safely over prolonged periods of time and ishighly compatible in ecological respect.

The above-specified object is solved in accordance with the invention bythe characterizing features wherein a dual-chamber package of theinvention features a multi-functional dispensing valve. The valve isused, on the one hand, for filling an inner bag with pressurized gas,preferably pressurized air or nitrogen. On the other hand, thisdispensing valve may be used to dispense therethrough the contents fromthe outer container. Due to this dual function of the dispensing valvethe design effort is considerably facilitated as compared with the priorart. Furthermore, no separate chemical agents are required for producingpressurized gas. The ecological compatibility of the dual-chamberpackage according to the invention is extremely good due to the use ofpressurized air or nitrogen as the pressurized medium. Since there areno chemical substances for producing pressurized gas and no means fordelaying the start of the reaction, the operational safety of thedual-chamber package according to the invention is also far superior tothe prior art. Thus, the dual-chamber package according to the inventionrepresents a self-contained, particularly simple and operationally safedesign which is considerably less harmful to the environment than theknown proposals.

Other features of advantage include when the free space which is boundedby the contents, on the one hand, and by the walls of the outercontainer and the inner bag, on the other hand, is evacuated as far aspossible so as to prevent the formation of an air cushion in thevicinity of the part of the dispensing valve which is inside thecontainer and upstream of the access to the dispensing tube, becausesuch an air cushion would interfere with the dispensing of the contents.Evacuation is preferably effected prior to crimping of the containercover.

Moreover, the configuration of the inner bag is important. It is ensuredthat the bag expands progressively from bottom to top or from the bottomtowards the dispensing valve, respectively, with correspondingdispensing of contents from the outer container. The discharge of thecontents is therefore not inhibited by any uncontrolled expansion in theupper or middle region of the outer container. The strength of anadditional seal decreases from the dispensing valve towards the bottomof the inner bag so that the desired controlled progressive expansion ofthe inner bag from bottom to top is ensured.

Furthermore, the design of the dispensing valve is also particularlysignificant even irrespective, of the above-described design. Thefeatures of the dispensing valve enable the above-described function ofthe dispensing valve in an extremely simple and operationally safe way.It should be noted in this connection that an the elastic element in theform of a helical compression spring, which urges the dispensing tubetowards the closed position, has a dual function, viz. to urge thedispensing tube towards the closed position, on the one hand, and tohold the closure plug for the filling opening into the inner bag in theclosed position, on the other hand. The closure plug, which is disposedso as to be movable within the valve body of the dispensing valve, alsohas a dual function, viz. to close the filling opening which opens intothe inner bag for introducing gas, on the one hand, and to interruptfluid communication between the inner space of the outer container andthe dispensing valve or the dispensing tube, on the other hand, whilethe inner bag is being filled with gas. It is mainly the last-mentionedconcept which is responsible for the dual function of the dispensingvalve.

Conceivable contents include pasty compositions such a ketchup, cream,mayonnaise, skin cream or the like, or liquid substances such as hairdyes, Cologne water or the like.

The dual-chamber package according to the invention is assembled byinitially filling the contents into the outer container. Subsequentlythe inner bag in rolled or longitudinally folded state is introducedthrough the top opening of the container into the outer container, theinner bag being provided with a riser tube for stabilising it or forimproving its buckling resistance, said riser tube being connected tothe filling opening of the valve body which opens into the inner bag.During this operation the inner bag is already connected to thedispensing valve. Thereafter, the container cover is crimped in a mannerknown per se onto the periphery of the opening of the outer containerwhile the free space between outer container, inner bag and cover isevacuated, so that upon the introduction of gas into the inner bag thefilled contents can escape upwardly towards the dispensing valve withoutany significant air cushion being formed. This ensures that on initialuse of the dual-chamber package it is not only air that escapes but thedesired amount of contents is directly dispensed. Hence, prior to thefirst use of the dual-chamber package the contents should have risenright to the dispensing opening. The free end of the dispensing tube hasa discharge head or spray nozzle mounted thereon as known per se. Sincethis is a per se known component it will not be described in detail.

Thereafter, the inner bag is filled with gas through the dispensingvalve or the dispensing tube thereof. After completion of this step thedispensing tube is pressed still further into the container interiorwhile the afore-mentioned closure plug is moved to the position forclosing the filling opening. Now the pressurized gas-filled inner bag ishermetically sealed relative to the environment. The dual-chamberpackage is ready for use.

It is preferred that the pressurized gas-filled inner bag should fillabout one-third of the interior space of the outer container. Theintroduced pressurized gas it at a pressure of about 9 bars. Two-thirdsof the interior space of the outer container is filled with contents. Itis then ensured that the contents will be dispensed at a constantpressure of about 3 bars until the container is completely empty.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Below, preferred embodiments of the dual-chamber package according tothe invention will be described with reference to the accompanyingdrawing, in which

FIG. 1 is a schematic longitudinal section of a dual-chamber packageaccording to the invention;

FIG. 2 shows the dual-chamber package of FIG. 1 in which the outercontainer is shown in section along the line II--II of FIG. 1 whereasthe inner bag including the dispensing valve is a side elevation;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional view of a first embodimentof a dispensing valve configured according to the invention prior toassembly with the outer container;

FIG. 4 is the assembled dispensing valve of FIG. 3 in a position forfilling the inner container with gas;

FIG. 5 illustrates part of the dispensing valve of FIG. 4, wherein theflow of pressurized gas past the closure plug is shown;

FIG. 6 is a cross-section along the line VI--VI of FIG. 3 showing thedispensing valve of FIG. 4;

FIG. 7 illustrates the dispensing valve of FIG. 4 after filling of theinner bag with gas, wherein the dispensing tube is illustrated in thedispensing position;

FIG. 8 is the dispensing valve of FIGS. 4 and 7, respectively, in theclosed position; and

FIG. 9 is a longitudinal section and enlarged cross-section of amodified embodiment of a dispensing valve similar to the illustration ofFIG. 3, i.e. prior to assembly with the outer container.

DESCRIPTION OF THE ILLUSTRATED EMBODIMENT

The dual-chamber package schematically illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2comprises a substantially dimensionally stable outer container 1 forliquid or pasty contents which is made, for example, of tinplate andprovided with a dispensing valve 2 and an inner container in the form ofa flexible bag 3 disposed within the outer container 1 for receivingpressurized gas such as pressurized air, nitrogen or a similarecologically harmless gas. The dispensing valve 2 comprises a dispensingtube 17 which is mounted in a valve body 14 for movement, i.e. axialmovement, from a closed to an open position and vice versa. The innerbag 3, which is made from a multi-layered plastic sheet material withaluminium laminated on the outside, is connected to the dispensing valve2 and adapted to be filled through the same with pressurized gas afterthe outer container 1 has been filled with contents and closed, so thatwith the dispensing valve 2 open the contents can be ejected from theouter container 1 through the already mentioned dispensing tube 17 whilethe inner bag 3 expands correspondingly. As will be apparent from FIGS.1 and 2, the inner bag 3 extends substantially along the entire lengthof the interior of the outer container 1 and is cut and folded in such away that it will expand by forming a tube that substantially completelyfills out the interior of the outer container 1 progressively from thebottom 4 of the outer container 1 towards the dispensing valve 2, as canbe seen in FIG. 2. Specifically, the inner bag 3 is formed by amulti-layered sheet material of the above-mentioned kind which is foldedupon itself and sealed along the edges, the folding at the bottom beingsuch that upon filling of the inner bag 3 with pressurized gas asubstantially flat bag bottom 5 will be formed to extend across thecontainer bottom 4. This is meant to ensure that only a minimum ofcontents will remain in the bottom area of the outer container 1 andthat the container 1 will be emptied substantially completely startingfrom the bottom 4 thereof. The formation of a flat bag bottom 5 may beachieved, for instance, by folding the bottom of the inner bag 3 in sucha way that it includes an inwardly directed V-fold 6 which extendstransversely between the two diametrical sealed longitudinal edges 7 and8 of the inner bag 3. At its diametrically opposed ends the V-fold 6 isbounded by obliquely inwardly extending sealing edges 9, 10 and 11, 12forming extensions of the two longitudinal sealing edges 7 and 8. InFIG. 2, the sealing edges 11, 12 are each invisibly disposed behind thesealing edges 9 and 10, respectively.

In order to ensure the mentioned progressive expansion of the inner bag3 from bottom to top with a corresponding discharge of the contentsthrough the dispensing valve 2 in a controlled way, the portions ofsheet material folded on top of each other to form the inner bag 3 aresealed to each other starting from the top end facing the dispensingvalve 2 towards the bottom-side end in the area between the twolongitudinal sealing edges 7 and 8, this additional seal 13 beingsignificantly weaker, especially by about 40 to 50% weaker than thelongitudinal edge seals 7 and 8, respectively. According to FIG. 1 theadditional seal 13 extends from the upper end of the inner bag 3 facingthe dispensing valve 2 along approximately two-thirds of the overalllength of the inner bag 3, said additional seal 13 being formed by twoparallel and mutually spaced sealing strips. The sealing strips may alsobe discontinuous, especially so as to be effective only spot-wise. It ispreferred that the strength of the additional seal 13 increases towardsthe dispensing valve 2, whereby the controlled progressive expansion ofthe inner bag from bottom to top is promoted. A spray head 28 with aspray nozzle 29 is also provided on the free end of the dispensing tube17 which projects from the outer container 1. This component is agenerally known structural element which need not be described indetail.

The specially adapted dispensing valve shall be described with referenceto FIGS. 3 to 8. The valve body 14 of the dispensing valve 2 extends insealed fashion relative to the interior of the outer container rightinto the inner bag 3 in the vicinity of the upper edge seal 15 facingtowards the dispensing valve 2, the edge seal 15 surrounding the outerside of the valve body 14 in fluid-tight fashion. At the lower end whichis inside the container the valve body 14 is provided with a fillingopening 16 which opens towards the interior of the inner bag 3 andthrough which the inner bag 3 is filled with gas and which can be closedby a closure plug 18 when the inner bag 3 has been filled withpressurized gas via the dispensing valve 2 or the dispensing tube 17thereof, respectively. The closure plug 18 is configured so that in itsinitial position, i.e. in a position for filling the inner bag 3 withpressurized gas as illustrated in FIGS. 3 to 6, it closes athrough-opening 20 which communicates the interior of the outercontainer 1 with the interior of the valve body 14, so that accordinglyfluid communication between the interior of the outer container 1 andthe dispensing tube 17 of the dispensing valve 2, which tube is axiallymovable in the valve body 14, is interrupted while the inner bag 3 isbeing filled with pressurized gas. An axially effective elastic member,especially a helical compression spring 19, is provided between theclosure plug 18 and the dispensing tube 17, and the dispensing tube 17is axially urged into the valve body 14 against the action of saidspring to thereby open a fluid communication with the outside, theclosure plug 18 for filling the inner bag 3 with pressurized gas beingheld inside the valve body 14 at an initial position lifted off thefilling opening 16 to the inner bag 3, in which initial positionpressurized gas can be introduced into the inner bag 3 through thedispensing tube 17, which is axially pressed into the valve body 14, andpast the outside of the closure plug 18 (see flow-indicating arrows 30in FIGS. 4 and 5). When the inner bag 3 has been filled with pressurizedgas the closure plug 18 is moved according to FIG. 7 by overcominglocking means (circumferential ridges 22, 23) retaining the closure plug18 in its initial position, through the dispensing tube 17 urged stillfurther into the valve body 14 to the closing position in which itcloses the filling opening and in which it is permanently retained bylocking means (annular protrusion 24). It is preferred that the closureplug 18 is made from a harder material than the valve body 14,especially from a plastics material such as rigid PVC. In accordancewith the illustrated embodiment the side of the closure plug 18 facingthe dispensing tube 17 includes a cup-like guide sleeve 25 into whichthe portion of the helical compression spring 19 that faces thecontainer interior extends and the outer circumferential rim 26 of whichprojects radially outwardly with a sharp edge and thereby tends toinhibit movement of the closure plug 18 from the closing position of thefilling opening according to FIG. 7 by resting said circumferential rimagainst the inside of the peripheral wall 27 which bounds the valve body14 laterally. In this position the closure plug 18 is therefore retainedby the helical compression spring 19, the sharp-edged peripheral rim 26and the radially inwardly projecting locking protrusion 24 whichcooperates lockingly with the radially outwardly extending annularprotrusion 23 of the closure plug 18.

As will be apparent from FIG. 4, when the inner bag 3 is filled with gasthe end 31 of the dispensing tube 17 which is inside the container restsagainst an upwardly projecting cross-shaped boss 32 of the closure plug18, said boss 32 extending from the bottom of the cup-like guide sleeve25.

As explained above, when gas is to be introduced the cup-like closureplug 18 is held at a position lifted off the filling opening 16 bylocking means 22, 23 in the form of radially protruding circumferentialridges formed on the inside of the cylindrical wall 27 which laterallybounds the valve body 14, on the one hand, and on the outside of theguide sleeve 25, on the other hand. Intermediate these two radiallyprojecting circumferential ridges there are formed severalthrough-openings 33 which are circumferentially uniformly distributedand through which the pressurized gas flows into the inner bag 3 (arrow30 in FIG. 5).

The dispensing tube 17 is moved axially by a filling head which is notillustrated in detail.

The dispensing valve 2 or the valve body 14 thereof is centrally fixedto the container cover 34, as is known per se, so that this fixingstructure need not be described in detail.

FIG. 7 shows the dispensing tube 17 in the position for dispensingcontents while the filling opening 16 is closed. As indicated by arrows35, the contents may flow out via the openings 20, the interior of thevalve body 14 and the fluid passageway 36 of the dispensing valve 17under the action of the expanding inner bag 3. FIG. 8 shows thedispensing valve 2 in the closed position after filling of the outercontainer 1 and the introduction of gas into the inner bag 3 have beencompleted.

It should be noted with reference to FIG. 1 that a riser tube 35aconnected to the filling opening 16 is placed between the two additionalsealing strips 13 within the inner bag 3, said riser tube extending atleast along approximately half the length of the inner bag 3. As alreadyexplained above, the riser tube substantially serves but to increase thebuckling resistance of the inner bag 3 so that the latter can moreeasily be immersed in the filled container 1, especially when thecontents consist of a pasty composition.

FIG. 9 illustrates an alternative structure of the dispensing valverelative to the closure plug 18. Elements of the dispensing valve 2which have already been described with reference to the previous figureshave been indicated by the same symbols, and for the description oftheir operation reference should be had to the above description. Theembodiment illustrated in FIG. 9 is distinguished by the feature thatthe guide sleeve 25 across its entire circumference is in intimateengagement with the inside of the circumferential wall 27 which boundsthe valve body 14 laterally. Accordingly, to permit the introduction ofgas into the inner bag 3 the bottom of the cup-like guide sleeve 25 isprovided with through-openings 21 through which the inner bag 3 isfilled with gas when the closure plug 18 is lifted off the fillingopening 16 (see the arrows 30). The locking means which cooperate withthe closure plug 18 for holding it lifted off the filling opening 16while the inner bag 13 is being filled with gas have been modified ascompared with the previously described embodiment. The locking means 24associated with the valve body 14 is formed by a clamping socket whichis provided, especially integrally formed, in the interior of the valvebody to surround the filling opening 16, whereas the locking means 22associated with the closure plug 18 are formed by a plurality ofcircumferentially equally distributed radial ridges which with theirends inside the container rest against the circumferential edge of theclamping socket facing the dispensing tube 17 while the inner bag 3 isbeing filled with gas, so that the closure plug 18 is held in a positionlifted off the filling opening 16 as shown in FIG. 9. When the inner bag3 has been filled with pressurized gas the dispensing tube 17 is pressedstill further into the container by the non-illustrated filling head soas to engage the previously described protrusion 32. During thismovement the radial ridges 22 are pressed into the clamping socket 24 sothat the closure plug 18, which is also pressed into the filling opening16, is retained in the position where it closes the filling opening.Additionally, the closure plug 18 is retained in this position by theaction of the compression spring 19 and by the sharp-edgedcircumferential rim 26 which in fact firmly grips the inside of thecircumferential wall 27 bounding the valve body 14 laterally. Thereby,the inner bag 3 is permanently sealed in fluid-tight fashion afterhaving been filled with gas. All other parts of the dispensing valve 2illustrated in FIG. 9 are identical with those of the already describeddispensing valve so that--as mentioned already--any detailed descriptionof these parts may be omitted.

All of the features disclosed in the application documents are claimedas being essential to the invention insofar as they are novel over theprior art either individually or in combination.

We claim:
 1. A dual-chamber package having a substantially dimensionallystable outer container (1) with a container bottom and a dispensingvalve (2) for holding and dispensing a flowable medium including liquidor pasty contents and an inner container disposed in the outer container(1) for receiving a pressurized gas, said inner container (3) being aflexible inner bag and said dispensing valve (2) including a dispensingtube (17) disposed within a valve body (14) for movement from a closedposition to an open position and vice versa, comprising the improvementwherein said inner bag (3) is connected to the dispensing valve (2) andfilled therethrough with said pressurized gas with said outer container(1) filled with said flowable medium and closed, said dispensing valve(2) having a control for opening the valve and discharge said flowablemedium from the outer container (1) in response to expansion of saidinner bag (3) and said inner bag (3) including sheet material foldedupon itself to form sidewalls having side edges (7,8) and having afolded bottom end constructed and arranged to form a substantially flatbag bottom (5) extended across the container bottom (4), said inner baghaving at least one sealed portion (13) connecting said sidewalls andextending from an upper end of said inner bag facing the dispensingvalve (2) towards the folded bottom end and located between the edges(7, 8) of said bag to form a releasably sealed joint (13), said sealedjoint (13) having a strength to hold said sidewalls together and causesaid folded bottom end to form said flat bag bottom (5) in response toinitial introduction of said gas into inner bag and subsequentlyreleasing said sidewalls.
 2. The package according to claim 1, includinga free space within the outer container bounded by the inner bag and theouter container (1) and the medium in the outer container with the innerbag (3) evacuated and whereby said pressurized gas in the inner bag (3)moves the medium up to the dispensing valve.
 3. The package according toclaim 1, wherein said inner bag (3) extends substantially along theentire length of the interior of the outer container (1) to said bottomend (4).
 4. The package according to claim 1, wherein said folded bottomend comprises an inwardly directed V-fold (6) which extends transverselybetween the two side edges (7, 8) of the inner bag (3).
 5. The packageaccording to claim 4, wherein said inwardly directed V-fold (6) of thefolded bottom end is limited at its diametrically opposed ends byobliquely inwardly directed sealing edges (9, 10 and 11, 12) formingextension of said longitudinal sealed edges (7, 8).
 6. The packageaccording to claim 1, wherein the length of said sealed joint (13)extending from the upper end of the inner bag (3) is in the range of 1/2to 2/3 of the length of the inner bag (3), said sealed joint (13) beingformed by a sealing strip.
 7. The package of claim 1, wherein said valvebody (14) is mounted in sealed relationship within said outer container(1) and extending into the inner bag (3), said valve body including afilling opening (16) which opens into the interior of the inner bag (3)for filling of the inner bag (3) with the pressurized gas via thedispensing valve (2), and a closure member (18) for closing saidopening.
 8. The package of claim 7, wherein said valve body includes athrough-opening (20) communicating the interior of the outer container(1) with the interior of the valve body (14) and said dispensing tube(17), wherein said closure member (18) has an initial position forfilling the inner bag (3) with the pressurized gas passing through saidfilling opening (16) and a second position closing the filling opening(16), said closure member in said initial position closing saidthrough-opening (20) to close fluid communication between the interiorof the outer container (1) and the dispensing tube (17) of thedispensing valve (2) while the inner bag (3) is being filled withpressurized gas and to open said through-opening (20) in said secondposition.
 9. The package of claim 8, having an axially acting elasticmember disposed between the closure member (18) and the dispensing tubeand supporting said dispensing tube (17) in a first position formovement a second position into the valve body (14) and said closuremember (18) thereby closing said through-opening (20) during filling ofthe inner bag (3) with said pressurized gas, said closure member (18)and said valve body (14) having a complementary locking means (22, 23,24), said locking means having first locking elements (22, 23) engagedin the initial position of said closure member with said closure membersupported spaced away from the filling opening (16) and with saidpressurized gas adapted to flow through the dispensing tube (17) andpast the closure member (18) into the inner bag (3), and wherein saidmovement of dispensing tube (17) to said second position releases saidlocking elements (22, 23) and moves the closure member to close thefilling opening (16), and said locking means having a second lockingelements (24) engaged in response to said last named movement of thedispensing tube to said second position and said closure member (18) tosaid second position and closing the filling opening (16), said engagedsecond locking elements positively holding said closure member in saidsecond position.
 10. The package of claim 9, wherein the material ofsaid closure member (18) is harder than the material of the valve body(14).
 11. The package of claim 10, wherein said elastic member is ahelical compression spring and said closure member has a side facing thedispensing tube (17), said closure member (18) comprises a cup-likeguide sleeve (25) with a portion of said helical compression spring (19)therein and said sleeve having an outer peripheral rim (23), said valvebody having an inner cylindrical wall with an inward protrusion (24),said second locking elements of said locking means including said rim(23) and said protrusion 24, and said rim protruding radially outwardlywith an outer sharp edge located engaging said inner protrusion (24) andoperable in the second position of said closure member to inhibit anymovement of the closure member (18) from the position in which it closesthe filling opening (16).
 12. The package of claim 1, including a risertube (35a) coupled to said filling opening (16) and extending into saidinner bag (3) for stabilizing the inner bag (3) and increasing itsbuckling resistance, said riser tube extending at least half the lengthof the inner bag (3).
 13. The package of claim 1, wherein said inner bag(3) with the pressurized gas initially placed therein fillsapproximately one-third of the interior of the outer container (1), saidpressurized gas having an initial pressure of about 9 bars and themedium is dispenses at a pressure of about 3 bars until the container iscompletely empty.
 14. A dual-chamber package having a substantiallydimensionally stable outer container (1) and dispensing valve (2) forholding and dispensing a flowable medium including liquid or pastycontents, an inner container (3) disposed in the outer container (1) forreceiving a pressurized gas, said inner container (3) being a flexibleinner bag and said dispensing valve (2) including a dispensing tube (17)disposed within a valve body, said valve body (14) mounted in sealedrelationship within said outer container (1) and extending into theinner bag (3), said valve body including a filling opening (16) whichopens into the interior of the inner bag (3) for filling of the innerbag with the pressurized gas through said dispensing valve (2), aclosure member (18) for closing said filling opening (16), said valvebody includes a through-opening (20) communicating the interior of theouter container (1) with the interior of the valve body (14) and saiddispensing tube (17), said closure member (18) having an initialposition for filling the inner bag (3) with the pressurized gas throughsaid filling opening (16) and a second position closing said fillingopening (16), said closure member (18) in said initial position closingsaid through-opening (20) to close fluid communication between theinterior of the outer container (1) and the dispensing tube (17) of thedispensing valve (2) while the inner bag (3) is filled with pressurizedgas and said closure member (18) in said second position opening saidthrough-opening (20) and closing said filling opening (16), and saiddispensing tube being operable to move the closure member to the secondposition.
 15. The package of claim 14, having an axially acting elasticmember disposed between the closure member (18) and the dispensing tube(17) and supporting said dispensing tube (17) in a first position formovement into the valve body (18), said closure member closing saidthrough-opening (20) during filling of the inner bag (3) with saidpressurized gas, said closure member (18) and said valve body (14)having complementary locking means (22,23,24) said locking means havingfirst locking elements engaged in the initial position of said closuremember with said closure member supported spaced away from the fillingopening and with said pressurized gas adapted to flow through thedispensing tube (17) and past the closure member (18) into the inner bag(3), and wherein said movement of dispensing tube (17) and said closuremember to said second position releases the locking elements (22,23)allowing the closure member to close the filling opening (16), and saidlocking means (22,23,24) having second locking elements (23,24) engagedin response to said last named movement of the dispensing tube and saidclosure member to said second position and closing the filling opening(16) said engaged second locking elements positively holding saidclosure member in said second position.